


Falling Into the Abyss

by fallenrose24



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-01 23:51:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13305966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallenrose24/pseuds/fallenrose24
Summary: (Spoilers through Chapter 8) Brighid searches desperately for her Driver in an unfamiliar land.





	Falling Into the Abyss

**Author's Note:**

> Turn back if you're not finished with Chapter 8!
> 
> Okay, this is seriously going to the last fic for awhile. Either that or I will give up sleeping haha!
> 
> Anyway, I always questioned how realistic it was that Mὸrag came out of their fall to Morytha unscathed. The others I could understand given that Nopon's are squishy and the rest have a Blade connection, but Mὸrag's human and she was separated from Brighid. That should have hurt! So here's my take on their separation and reunion. ...Why do I always tend to beat Mὸrag up in my stories?

Her keen eye let her see their fate before it struck. Ophion’s blast was much too close to the cliffs – the ricochet would be enough to push the serpent beast into the rocks. She knew the rotting Titan’s body would not be able to withstand the blow. Though the windstorm the attack produced was fierce, she pushed through it and held her Driver’s arm with a vice grip. Mὸrag turned instinctively, as if she meant to shield her Blade from the falling debris.

“Sheath your whips, Lady Mὸrag – hurry!” Her voice barely carried over the chaos.

“What?”

“Just listen to me! Sheath them and do _not_ let go of me!”

Mὸrag quickly maneuvered her weapons to their holsters on her hips and wrapped her arms around Brighid. She held tight as the ground beneath them cracked violently and gave way. They plummeted into the abyss, their hearts pounding in unison in fear of where they and their companions might land. Brighid did what she could to stay focused on her grasp – she could not allow herself to let go of her Driver. Wherever they were headed, she needed to shield them from the impact.

Somewhere in the distance, Poppi cried out for Tora. The heartbreaking sound drew Mὸrag’s attention away… far enough that she spotted the boulder plummeting toward them. She didn’t think, she simply acted. Shifting her weight, she managed to spin them, holding Brighid’s head tightly against her chest as she braced herself. The fire Blade tugged desperately at her back, trying to turn them back to absorb the blow herself, but it was too late.

The rock mass collided with Mὸrag’s back with enough force to knock the wind out of her lungs. Her scream of pain was silent. Brighid’s heart leapt into her throat as she felt her Driver’s grip loosen completely. She had lost consciousness. The momentum of the impact knocked Mὸrag so far to the right that they only remained together by the failing grip of one of Brighid’s burning hands on her uniform.

“Mὸrag!!” She tried desperately to pull the Ardainian toward her, but she was alone in her struggle.

Her amethyst eyes opened as she watched her Driver begin to slip from her fingertips. Ether rushed into her body with a violent force, sucked in by the power of her normally hidden gaze. In the split second before she lost contact, Brighid channeled as much of the ether energy as she could into the blade crystals strapped to Mὸrag’s waist. She could only pray to the Architect that it would be enough to keep her safe.

With a final cry of desperation, she watched as they were all consumed by the darkness under the Cloud Sea.

\---

A strange sound filled her ears. It was like a distant, violent storm. Her back was cold, the exposed skin pressed against a slab of smoothed rock. Each of her senses stitched together as she came fully to consciousness and her eyes, though hidden from the world, clearly absorbed the images around her. A violent wind vortex raged in the distance and the eerily green sky cast a putrid glow on the destroyed land that made her shiver. Where in Alrest was she?

No… not Alrest.

“This must be the place Mὸrag had mentioned…” the Blade slowly climbed to her feet, holding onto a piece of broken…road?... to steady herself. “Morthya – the Land of the Dead.”

Her core crystal flared suddenly and she raised a hand to grip it tightly. It was Mὸrag. The faint call of her whip-swords stung with a pain her heart echoed. She was still alive, so that must mean Mὸrag survived the fall. That fact filled her with a sense of elation, but the vastness of this new land and the clear distance that was between them had despair clawing at her. She needed to find her. It didn’t matter how long it would take. With a sigh, she pulled energy from her core with her left hand, shaping it into a familiar looking blade. The resonance she felt with a single whip would not be so overwhelming that it would mask the call she felt from Mὸrag’s weapons, but it would be enough to at least offer her some protection in this strange land.

Brighid let her keen eyes guide her, walking in whatever direction Mὸrag’s signature felt strongest. The architecture around her was so strange – the metal working was similar to what was used in Alba Cavanich, but the construction was so unique and so grand in scale. What kind of civilization could build such monstrous dwellings? And what force could be strong enough to level it all so completely?

As if her question had been heard, a loud hiss sounded behind her. Brighid spun and her brow raised as an odd creature limped toward her. Parts of its body glowed with the hue of a Blade while the rest looked like a jumbled mess of ash-colored flesh knotted like tree roots. Was that… was that a core crystal? Was this monstrosity actually a Blade of some kind?

It lunged at her before she could analyze it any further. On instinct, she extended her whip and lashed out, striking the creature in the face. It flew back against a pile of rubble, but quickly recovered. Brighid readied herself as it moved swiftly toward her, but was startled when an explosion erupted in front of her eyes. The mutant Blade was shot back by what looked like a cannonball and lay splattered on the ground. She knew that weapon… turning to her right, a familiar orange glow peeked through the explosion’s dissipating smoke.

“Poppi!” A white, floating ball of fuzz hovered by the robot’s head. “Azurda!”

The artificial Blade raced forward. “Poppi find friend! Glad to see Brighid not harmed by strange monster.”

Brighid opened her mouth to reply, but an ear-piercing hiss cut their reunion short as the strange creature rose seemingly from the dead. Shock quickly turned to anger and the fire Blade pointed her retracted whip-sword toward the monster. A fury of blue flames rushed forward and consumed the being completely. It shrieked in agony, flailing its root-like limps until the tell-tale sound of a core crystal shattering finally eliminated the threat.

“Well, I must say, your fire will come in handy down here.”

Brighid turned a smile to the Titan. “Indeed. I am glad to see you both unharmed.”

“Poppi looking for Masterpon when heard sounds of monster in the distance. Very happy to find friend Brighid. This land very big, so not certain we would find friends easily.”

“Yes, we’re in quite the predicament.” Azurda scrutinized the single weapon in Brighid’s left hand. “I assume you were separated from Mὸrag?”

Brighid nodded solemnly. “She was hit by debris and lost consciousness. I couldn’t maintain my grip.”

Small metals arms wrapped around her waist and squeezed gently. “If Brighid not returned to core, then friend Mὸrag must still be alive. Poppi will use enhanced sensors to locate life signature of Masterpon and Mὸrag.”

The flame Blade smiled and returned the hug briefly. “Thank you, Poppi. Let’s combine our strengths of sight, shall we?”

The young girl nodded in enthusiasm.

Their attention was soon redirected to the sound of fighting in the distance. Both Blades knew it couldn’t possibly be their Drivers, but the thought that Rex, Nia, or Zeke could be nearby had them running toward the fray.

\---

Brighid kept a part of her senses tuned toward Jin even as they took a moment to rest. When she, Poppi, and Azurda had rushed into battle, she hadn’t expected to be saving a Blade that had caused them so much pain. The Ardainian blood on his hands was too thick to overlook. The thought of how outraged Mὸrag would be were she to witness this ceasefire just made her heart ache for her companion even more. That ache soon turned unbearable.

A pained grunt drew Mythra’s attention. Looking up, she spotted Brighid sitting across from her with a glowing hand gripping tightly at her core crystal. Concern flooded her senses and she smacked Rex’s arm to get his attention.

“Brighid? Are you alright?”

The flame Blade startled slightly at the break in silence. “I… yes.”

Rex’s brow furrowed in concern. “Are you sure? You’re not hurt?”

“No, this pain isn’t mine.” Brighid shook her head. “Dammit all.”

“It’s calling you, isn’t it?” The Aegis and Ardainian Blade locked eyes.

“Yes, but it’s only a threat. A warning.”

Rex sighed and scratched his head. “Okay, hold on a minute. What’s goin’ on exactly?”

Brighid turned to the young salvager. “My core crystal. When a Driver is severely wounded, a Blade’s core will often start ‘calling’… almost like we’re being drawn to return to it.”

His eye’s widened. “Mὸrag…”

“Yes. She clearly survived the fall, but I fear she did not come out unscathed.”

Mythra huffed. “Frankly, I’m surprised she survived at all.”

Anger flared. “Excuse me?”

Brighid’s voice had been loud enough to garner the attention of the other Blades and Titan surrounding them.

“I’m not surprised she’s hurt.” The Aegis sighed when the comment earned her a deadly glare from the flame Blade. “Look, all I’m saying is Mὸrag’s human, right? Blades and Titans can survive a fall like that with no problem. You, me, Poppi, Azurda… we’re all fine. Zeke, Nia, and Rex all have part of a Blade embedded in their body. That makes it possible for them to survive things a normal human can’t. But Mὸrag? She doesn’t share a part of your core crystal.”

“Well, what of Tora?” Brighid deflected, refusing to acknowledge the painful reality Mythra was painting.

“You and I both know that Nopons are basically indestructible.”

“So, you think Lady Mὸrag being human makes her fragile.” Blue arms crossed indignantly over her chest.

Rex put up his hands. “Woah woah you two! Let’s not fight… alright? We’re all friends here.”

Mythra sighed again and ignored her Driver. “Just stop it, okay? I’m not saying she’s not strong. You two have proven your strength plenty, but you can’t argue with the fact that she’s mortal. Sure, she’s incredibly strong in battle, but that’s because she has _you_. Last time I checked, you’re not with her.”

Brighid stood and turned her back to the Aegis, her burning hands clenched into tight fists. “Do you really think I wouldn’t do everything in my power to protect her? That I would just let her plummet to her death? Before I lost my grip on her, I forced all the ether energy I could into the crystals of her swords. I made sure she had those weapons secured so that, even if she lost me, she would still be protected.”

A sense of understanding filled Rex as he rubbed his chin in awe. “Just like in Tantal. Mὸrag said you guys would store ether energy in her weapons out of habit, just in case anything should happen after a battle.”

“Yes, it’s a strategy that has served us well many times.” Brighid turned her hidden gaze to look at the boy over her shoulder. “I made sure Lady Mὸrag would be protected. I’ll be dammed if I let her die after surviving a fall like that.”

Mythra stood, brushing the dust off her short dress. “I’m sorry, alright? Let’s just hope she runs into Nia.”

Brighid shook her head. “No, I would rather rely on myself than the hope that Lady Mὸrag can traverse this place safely in her state.”

The Aegis placed a hand on the flame Blade’s exposed shoulder. “Fair enough. Look, I shouldn’t have said those things. I didn’t mean to make light of everything I know you’re afraid of right now. We’ll find her, I can promise you that. The fact that you can feel her pain even though you don’t share a part of your core crystal… that’s a sign of just how deep your trust runs. I bet Mὸrag is just as determined to find you as you are to find her.”

A burning hand reached up and cradled the gloved digits that were offering her comfort and an olive branch. “Thank you.”

\---

Each minute they spent walking felt like hours, but Brighid continued to find comfort in the fact that her core had stopped stinging. That gave her hope that her Driver had in fact been healed and was out of danger. As they continued to trek through the Tornan Titan, the strength of Mὸrag’s call increased. They were getting closer.

Not close enough.

Jin’s angry rant against mankind was halted by a chilling shriek. Slithering up from the cracks in the ground was a gigantic version of the strange root-like Blades they had encountered before. It crawled toward them, radiating a power that was truly incredible. This would be a test of their strength… Blades without Drivers partnered with the Aegis.

They held their own, but it was clearly not enough. Brighid could feel her energy wane. Without Mὸrag to act as a conduit, she could only sustain her attacks for so long. She was designed to fight as a team, to emulate her Driver, not battle alone. Jin was also failing to keep up, his weakened state making him a target for the fowl beast. This was a losing battle – they had to find a way to turn the tide, otherwise…

A flash of lightning struck the creature with a tremendous force and blanketed them all in a plume of dust and debris.

Could it be? Brighid spun around in shock as she felt the whip-sword in her hand dematerialize and return to her core. Up on the level above, she caught a glimpse of a shining purple blade cutting through the dust cloud. Slowly, familiar shapes came into view… Zeke, Pandoria, Tora, Nia, Dromarch…

Mὸrag.

Her heart leapt into her throat as she caught the eye of her treasured Driver. The Ardainian’s face lit up with an uncharacteristic smile as the group of fighters rushed down toward them. Mὸrag unsheathed her swords and rushed to stand between the creature and her Blade. Brighid ached to reach out to her, to hold her close to fully convince herself the woman was real. Instead, she held her hands back and let the flow of ether connect them. Amber eye’s peered over her high collar, a bright glimmer of delight giving them a beautiful sheen.

“It’s good to see you, Brighid. Let’s save the proper hello for after we fell this beast, yes?”

The flame Blade could only happily agree.

\---

With their entire company intact, it didn’t take long for the monster to succumb to their strength. Brighid watched as Mὸrag secured her weapons against her hips. Her keen eye detected a slight slump in her shoulders, exhaustion radiating from her frame that far exceeded what she would have expected from just weariness of battle. As the Ardainian turned to her, she shook off her worry and rushed forward.

Her heart nearly burst with relief as she felt Mὸrag’s steady arms catch her and wrap firmly around her waist. Her own hugged tightly to her Driver’s neck, a warm hand cupping the back of her head while the other grasped desperately at the back of her uniform. Mὸrag was alive. Rationally, she already knew that had to be true, but the dominating irrational part of her heart relished in the physical proof. Thank the Architect she was in one piece. Despite her overwhelming joy, the sudden shock of relief made it impossible for her to keep the tears at bay. They streamed down her cheeks, soaking the collar of the Inquisitor’s uniform.

Mὸrag’s grip tightened as she felt her Blade shudder against her. “It’s alright, Brighid. I’m here… I’m here.”

The others turned away silently, giving the two the privacy and time they so desperately needed. Only Nia looked back suspiciously, her gaze locked on the Ardainian. She was glad they had found the rest of their friends, but after a battle like that, she was worried…

Brighid pulled back from the embrace just enough to lean up and press their forehead’s together. “I thought for a moment that I might be too late.”

Mὸrag smiled and ran a hand steadily up and down the smooth skin of her back. “You protected me, as always. I surely would not have survived that fall had your armored veil not softened the blow.”

The Blade chuckled lightly. “You only needed it because you decided it was best to get yourself hit with a cliff than let your immortal companion take the blow.”

“I acted merely on instinct.” A glove hand reached up to wipe the tears off warm cheeks. “I couldn’t let you be hurt.”

Brighid closed the gap between them, brushing her lips against her Driver’s. She knew they normally kept their affection private, but she could hardly contain herself and she had a feeling Mὸrag felt the same. The feel of those lips against hers was indescribable. She felt nearly starved for the touch.

The kiss broke unexpectedly as Mὸrag’s frame shuddered. She sank to one knee, gripping her unarmored shoulder tightly. A look of agony pinched at her features as she ground her teeth to keep from shouting out.

“Lady Mὸrag!” Brighid fell to the ground with her.

Before the fire Blade could blink, Nia and Dromarch appeared at their side. The Gormotti Flesh Eater had shed her human form and knelt down, already glowing with the familiar hue of her restorative power.

“I told you it wasn’t perfect, you dolt!” Nimble hands reached out, surrounding the Ardainian in a bubble of water. “Just had to go and push yourself, didn’t ya?”

Mὸrag cracked her eyes open, letting out a tired laugh as she locked eyes with the young girl. “Served me well enough just now, did it not?”

Nia huffed. “Idiot.”

Brighid watched the back and forth between the healer and her Driver with only mild understanding. “Lady Mὸrag was injured.” It came out as more of a statement than a question.

“Indeed.” Dromarch bowed his head. “We found her in quite a state. Dislocated shoulder, broken arm, and a deep gash in her side most likely from one of the more unforgiving pieces of Morytha’s remains.”

“And yet she was still wanderin’ about like she wasn’t half dead.” Nia glared at the woman sitting before her. “By the time we found her, she had already lost so much blood.”

The flame Blade swallowed audibly, the image of her injured love squeezing her heart. “I could feel it… how close you were to dying...”

That got Mὸrag’s attention. “What?”

“My core crystal… it beckoned for me to return, but I knew… I knew you would find a way to survive long enough for me to find you.” A blue hand gripped tightly at her neckpiece.

“You can add this to the list of favors ya owe me, alright?” Nia clenched her fists, bursting the healing bubble. “Or better yet, just stop gettin’ yourself so beat up all the time. At least this time I got to finish before ya ran off to play hero.”

Dromarch sighed as he watched his Lady storm off. “I apologize, she tends to be a bit harsh when worried. You gave us quite the scare, Lady Mὸrag. I think I speak for all of us when I say we are quite glad we found you in time. Your loss would have been profound.”

“I am forever in your debt… once again.” Mὸrag dipped her head in thanks.

Brighid reached out, placing a warm hand on the Tiger’s back. “Please… tell Nia thank you for me.”

The water Blade nodded before following after his irritated Driver.

Mὸrag sighed in relief as she rotated her shoulder, enjoying the newly returned range of motion. She looked up as Brighid held out a hand to her and gladly accepted the help to her feet. After sufficiently brushing the dirt off her uniform, she turned to give her Blade her full attention.

“I apologize for making you worry. I wasn’t aware you could feel my injury.”

The Blade smiled. “Don’t apologize for how deeply we trust one another. That connection is what led me to you. Without it, I imagine I would have wandered this wretched land aimlessly for quite some time.”

Mὸrag moved forward and pulled her into a reassuring embrace. “I am glad you didn’t… I’m not sure how much longer I could have dealt with knowing you were here, but not with me.”

Brighid leaned up and brushed their lips together in a chaste kiss. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Indeed.” The Inquisitor smiled. “My injuries were grave, but we both know they would have been much worse without your quick thinking. I suppose that’s the price I pay for being mortal… and the price you pay for giving your heart to one such as me.”

The Blade nuzzled her Driver’s neck. “I have no regrets.”

Mὸrag laughed and rubbed Brighid’s back reassuringly before pulled away. “Shall we keep moving? I would very much like to get out of this accursed place as soon as possible.”

Brighid nodded, a smile refusing to leave her face. She slid her hand down the length of the Inquisitor’s arm and interlaced their fingers, relishing the feeling as Mὸrag tightened her grip rather than pulling away as they approached their company. Had her Driver been a lesser woman, she would surely have returned to her core crystal, lost forever in the remains of Morytha beneath the Cloud Sea. She wasn’t sure even a talented salvager would have been able to recover her. Yet, here she was, walking alongside a mortal woman who had beaten insurmountable odds.

As they made their way toward the base of the World Tree, her heart squeezed in her chest once again as she thought of how close they had come to parting. This wasn’t the first time since they had joined the Aegis that the threat of death had plagued them, but this time… this time it was too palpable to ignore.

Mὸrag stopped walking when felt a firm tug on her arm and turned to face her companion. “Everything alright, Brighid?”

A kiss preceded her response – quick, but firm and genuine. “Yes, Lady Mὸrag, I’ve simply decided something.”

An eyebrow arched. “And what would that be?”

“That I refuse to go one more day without you knowing… I can no longer bear the thought of you dying and never knowing that I…”

Mὸrag smiled. “It’s alright.”

That was the reassurance she needed.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too, Brighid.”


End file.
